I realize there are several things that need to be included in a resume. However, are there any common mistakes that candidates should avoid when writing their resume? I think one common mistake is putting information on the resume that is not related to the job you are seeking. Job recruiters want to quickly look over the resume and pick out pertinent information about you. This information should match the qualification they are looking for. Do you agree? Are there any other common resume mistakes to avoid?

Hi Greg, I agree employees want to see a resume that matches the qualifications they are looking for in a candidate. There is no need to include information if its irrelevant to the job you are appying for. Other common mistakes include using font that is too small. I once submitted a resume with small font because I wanted my resume to fit on one page. That was a mistake because the small font made it very difficult to read my resume. As a result, I was never called in for an interview.

Just like fonts that are too small, huge font sizes really put me off - they seem childish

Regarding irrelevant info I couldn't agree more. Generally (here come the marketing theory) people are more inclined to notice things they don't want and therefore disregard the whole rather than pick out the parts they do want.

If I gave someone a list of 5 things about a person - 4 relevant and 1 completely irrelevant - the 1 irrelevant thing is what gets noticed more often and is most likely to be remembered

I'd say you need to spend a few minutes tailoring every resume you send out to the business and position you're applying for.

I would also agree that irrelevant information is not accpetable. Also I would carefully look at resumes to make sure grammar and spelling is correct. I have seen resumes with misspelled words and it looks horrible. Have someone proof read your resume before sending it out.